Firebirds Fall to Dolphins in Road Match up

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.- the University of the District of Columbia's men's basketball team fell to the College of Staten Island 69-98, Saturday afternoon at the Tank. The Firebirds slip to 3-3 in conference play while the Dolphins improved to 5-1. 

Eric Morgan Jr posted a game-high 19 points on 50% shooting going 7-14 from the field and 3-7 from behind the arc. Tevin Curtis and Hartnel Haye both scored 13 points and Elijah Crawford pulled a team high nine rebounds. 

CSI got off to an early 5-0 start in the opening minutes before the Firebirds called their first time out. Just under the 17 minute mark Curtis scored the Firebirds first bucket. UDC was held scoreless over the next couple of minutes with the Dolphins opening a 14 point lead. The alley oop by Curtis to Vernon Simmons at 9:40, led to the Firebirds first basket in over five minutes. UDC went on a run cutting the deficit down to eight before the Dolphins went on another run knocking down back to back three's and went on to lead by 14 points heading into half time.

In the second half Micah Campbell picked up a quick six points for UDC in the opening minutes. The Firebirds almost doubled their points in the second half but Staten Island did not let up scoring 58 points to earn the decisive 29 point victory.

The Firebirds shot at 44.3% from the field and the Dolphins shot at 45.8%. CSI's bread and butter on the afternoon came from behind the arc as they knocked down 13 treys compared to UDC's four. 

Up next, UDC (5-10, 3-3 ECC) will hed back to N.Y. next Wednesday to face St Thomas Aquinas College in their second match up of the season. The game is slated top begin at 7:30pm.